Despite a White House directive that U.S. flags fly at half-staff until late January in remembrance of the late President Jimmy Carter, Texas Governor Greg Abbott on Monday ordered that flags at the state Capitol and other state government buildings be raised to full-staff for President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration next week.
In a statement, Abbott, a Republican and ardent supporter of Trump, stated, “While we honor the service of a former President, we must also celebrate the service of an incoming President and the bright future ahead for the United States of America.”
In accordance with the U.S. flag law, which stipulates that flags shouldn’t be raised to full height when a president passes away, President Joe Biden issued the proclamation on December 29, the day Carter passed away at the age of 100. The 30-day proclamation is applicable to flags at the White House and numerous other federal and public facilities around the United States.
Another Republican governor, Ron DeSantis of Florida, referenced Biden’s declaration when he declared last month that flags will be flown at half-staff at state and local buildings until dusk on January 28.
A request for comment on Abbott’s order was not immediately answered by the White House.
In a post on Truth Social this month, Trump claimed that Democrats were “all ‘giddy’ about our magnificent American Flag potentially being at ‘half mast’ during my Inauguration.”
“No American can be pleased about this, and nobody wants to see it. Let’s wait and see,” Trump wrote.
A request for comment on Abbott’s announcement was not immediately answered by a Trump spokesman.
The Associated Press stated that on Monday, the flags at Trump’s Palm Beach resort in Florida were once again flown at full staff.
A ceremony was held at the Washington National Cathedral on Thursday, and Carter’s casket was placed in state last week. Prior to a private service in Georgia, Biden, Trump, and other dignitaries and political figures paid their respects to the 39th president.